Self-locking gunnel bumpers



Feb. 6, 1962 Filed 001;. 26. 1959 3,019,758 SELF-LQCKING GUNNEL BUMPERS James S. Erkert, Rockford, IlL, assignor to National Lock (10., Rockford, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 26, 1959, Ser. No. 848,733 8 Claims. ((21. 114-219) The present invention relates to an improved bumper construction and more particularly to a self-locking bumper assembly adapted for use on the gunnel or side of a boat. This invention is an improvement on my copending application Serial No. 778,026, filed December 3, 1958, now Patent 2, 959,146.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a bumper assembly which not only acts as a bumper for a boat but also provides a means to connect sections of the boat together. With the advent of fiberglass boats, a boat hull may be fabricated in one piece. If any cowling or deck is to be used on the beat, this latter section is separately fabricated and later attached to the hull section. The present novel bumper assembly provides novel means for attaching these sections of the boat together.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of a novel attaching means for the separate sections of a fiberglass boat thereby eliminating the use of adhesives. Plastic adhesives for fiberglass are acceptable for some purposes, but in the construction of boats which must withstand Water and considerable weathering, such adhesives have not been commercially successful for the purpose intended. The present invention eliminates adhesives by the provision of a novel and positive mechanical locking means in the bumper assembly.

The present invention further comprehends a novel two-piece bumper assembly which combines with outwardly extending flanges on the sections of the boat to be joined. The inner or clamping member is formed of a rigid plastic composition and is joined in a novel manner to the boat. The outer member or bumper insert is a relatively soft plastic composition of substantially hemispherical outer contour which encloses or encompasses the inner member and the flanges extending from the boat sections. Thus the novel assembly performs the dual function of joining the deck and hull of a boat together and provide a bumper to prevent injury to the boat while docked or during cruising.

The present invention also comprehends the use of extruded plastic for the bumper parts. As the field of plastics has expanded, extrusion apparatus with specially shaped extrusion dies have been provided for forming complicated plastic forms of indefinite length. The two parts to the present bumper assembly are formed by extrusion and then the lengths required for a particular boat can be accurately out from a length of the extruded material.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, efliciency, economy and ease of assembly, and such further objects and advantages as will later more fully appear and are inherently possessed thereby.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of a portion of a fiberglass boat to which the novel bumper assembly is applied.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view on the cross section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1 through a side of the fiberglass boat and showing the details of one embodiment of the novel bumper assembly.

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of a portion of the inner connecting or anchoring member of the bumper assembly shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical cross section of the inter-lock between the inner and hired fltates i atent Bfilflfiiih Patented Felo. 6, 1962 outer members of the bumper assembly of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing another embodiment of the novel bumper assembly.

FIG. 6 is a View in perspective of a portion of the inner connecting or anchoring member of the bumper assembly shown in FIG. 5.

Referring more particularly to the disclosure in the drawing and to the novel illustrative embodiments therein shown, FIG. 1 discloses a fiberglass boat 10 having a hull l1 and a deck 12. The deck is generally formed of one piece, as is the hull, and has openings to provide for the desired seating compartments. A bumper assembly 13 is applied to the boat 10 and has the dual function of connecting the deck 12 and bull 11 together and to protect the boat from damage due to a collision when being operated or while docked.

With respect to FIG. 2, one embodiment of the bumper assembly 13 is shown in operative position on the boat 10. As shown, both the hull 11 .and deck 12 terminate in outwardly extending flanges 14 and 15, respectively. These flanges have mating holes 16 formed at intervals along the boat. A substantially U-shaped connecting member 17 formed of extruded but relatively rigid plastic has parallel spaced sides 18 which terminate in outwardly diverging or inclined flanges 19. The parallel sides 18 form a channel conformably receiving the flanges 14 and 15 and have holes 21 which mate or align with holes 16 formed in the flanges. A fastening member 22 is inserted through the aligned holes 16 and 21 to fasten these parts together. The fastening member 22 may be a screw, rivet or other like fastener.

The outwardly projecting flanges 19', 19 extend out at an angle of approximately 60 from the plane of the parallel sides 18. The ends of these flanges 19, i9 terminate in channels 23 formed in an extension 24. This extension has a projection extending parallel to the sides 18 and is adapted to abut the side of the boat 10. At the other edge of the base 24 is a lip 26 forming with the projection 25' the channel 23 to receive and grip outer projections of an outer bumper member 31. The ends of the flanges 14 and 15 are conformably received in the channel 27 of the U-shaped portion of member 17.

The flexible or resilient outer bumper portion 31 is substantially semicircular in cross section with the portion 32 abutting the base of the inner anchoring member 17 provided with a flat exterior surface. Bumper member 31 at each of its opposite ends terminates in an inwardly extending or inturned flange 33 which is adapted to be received in an extension 24 of the: inner anchoring member 17. A lip 34 formed at the edge of each flange 33 is conformably received in the channel 23 with the lip 26 received in the undercut 35. Thus, when joined, the inner and outer bumper members securely interlock whereby the outer bumper member is anchored and retained in its operative position.

To assemble a boat using this embodiment of bumper, the hull 11 and deck 12 of the boat are formed and placed together with longitudinally spaced holes 16 in the flanges 14 and 15 mating. The U-shaped members 17 are then placed over the flanges 14 and 15 so that the holes 21 in the member 17 mate with the holes 16 in the flanges 14 and 15. Bolts, screws or other fastening means 22 are inserted into the holes to lock the members 11, 12 and 17 together. A continuous section of anchoring member 17 may be used along one side of the boat. The flexible bumper member 31 is then placed over the member 17 so that the resilient flanges 33 interlock in the channels 23 of the anchoring member 17 and enclose the joint between the hull and the deck and the anchoring means. Since member 31 is preferably of soft vinyl plastic, one piece may suflice for encompassing the boat as the plastic is flexible or resilient so as to readily bend at the corners 3 of the boat. However, two or more pieces may be used, if desired.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawing, a second embodiment of the invention is shown. Again, there is disclosed a boat having a hull 11, a deck 12 and outwardly extending flanges 14 and 15 having aligned holes 16. In this embodiment, the bumper assembly 13 is formed of two preferably extruded plastic members 41 and 4 8. Member 41 is a substantially T-shaped element of relatively rigid plastic having an extension or leg 42 which fits between the spaced flanges 1.4 and 1.5, in proximately a horizontal plane. Extension 42 has longitudinally spaced holes d3 which mate with the holes 16 in the flanges 14 and 15 to receive fasteners 44 similar to the attaching means 22 shown in FIG. 2. The outer end or top 45 of the T-shaped member 4-1 abuts the edges of the flanges 14 and 15 with each end provided with an inclined lip 46 extending beyond the flanges and slanting toward the boat It forming an undercut surface 47.

Bumper member 48 is of a relatively flexible or resilient plastic and has a substantially semi-circular external surface 49 which terminates in edges or gaging appendages 50 that about the hull 11 and deck 12, and spaced tubular portions 51. The wall 52 of each tubular portion extends inward from the ends of the rounded surface 49 in surface contact with a flange 14- or 15 and then extends outwardly along these flanges to form an undercut channel 53 which interlocks with the undercut surfaces 47 on the anchoring member 41. The base 54 of the channel 53 abuts the outer surface or top 45 of the anchoring mem ber 41.

The method of assembly is very similar to that required for the embodiment of FIG. 2 and no further explanation appears to be necessary. In each embodiment, the inner member of the bumper is formed of a rigid plastic composition and the outer member is formed of a relatively soft, flexible or resilient plastic composition, such as a vinyl resin. This type of novel bumper assembly has the labor saving feature in that the flanges on the hull and deck will not require a great amount of finishing to provide a tight fit or a uniform surface for the purpose of attaching the subsequent gunnel bumper. Further, this assembly will provide a better clamping action, require fewerfastening means and no adhesive compound.

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim:

1. A two-part bumper assembly for the gunnel of a boat having a hull and a deck and outwardly extending adjoining flanges on the exterior of the hull and deck having mating openings, comprising an inner bumper member of relatively rigid material and having openings complementary to the openings in said flanges, connecting means adapted to pass through said complementary openings to secure the inner bumper member to said flanges, an outer bumper member of relatively soft and flexible material and encompassing the inner bumper member and said flanges, and interlocking means integral with the inner and outer bumper members for attaching the members together.

2. An interlocking bumper assembly for the gunnel of a fiberglass boat having a hull and a deck portion, and outwardly extending adjoining flanges on the periphery of the hull and desk portions, a relatively rigid inner bumper member having at least one projection extending parallel to and adjacent said flanges, said projection and flanges having complementary openings therein, fastening means adapted to be inserted into said openings to attach said inner bumper member to said flanges, said inner bumper member having an undercut surface, a relatively soft and flexible outer bumper member which encloses the inner bumper member and flanges on the boat hull and desk, and interlocking means integral with the outer bumper member to engage the undercut surface on the inner bumper member for joining said bumper members together.

3. An interlocking bumper assembly as set forth in claim 2, in which the outer bumper member is a semicircular shaped member and said interlocking means includes inwardly extending flanges on said member abutting the sides of the boat hull and deck and each flange extending into a channel in the inner bumper member.

4. An interlocking bumper assembly for the gunnel of a fiberglass boat having a hull and a deck portion, and adjoining flanges on the exterior of the hull and deck portions, a relatively rigid inner bumper anchoring element terminating in a pair of channels, fastening means for attaching said inner bumper element to said flanges, a relatively soft and flexible outer bumper element which encloses the inner bumper element and flanges on the boat hull and deck, said outer bumper element being a semicircular shaped member and having interlocking means for joining the bumper elements together, comprising inwardly extending flanges terminating in lips abutting the sides of the boat hull and deck and each flange extending into one of said channels in the inner bumper element, said channels being undercut to receive the lips of the outer bumper member. 7

5. An interlocking bumper assembly for the gunnel of a fiberglass boat having a hull and a deck portion, and adjoining flanges on the exterior of the hull and deck portions, a relatively rigid inner bumper anchoring element comprising a substantially U-shaped member receiving therein the flanges on the boat hull and deck and having rearwardly and outwardly diverging arms which abut the sides of the hull and deck with the end of each arm provided with a channel, fastening means for attaching said inner bumper element to said flanges, a relatively soft and flexible outer bumper element which encloses the inner bumper element and flanges on the boat hull and deck, and a part on each of the opposite edges of the outer bumper element received in said channel to provide interlocking means for joining the bumper elements together.

6. An interlocking bumper assembly for the gunnel of a fiberglass boat having a hull and a deck portion, and adjoining flanges on the exterior of the hull and deck portions, a relatively rigid inner bumper anchoring element comprising a T-shaped member having. the leg of the T-shaped member extending between the flanges on the boat hull and deck and the top of the member engages the outer edges of the flanges, fastening means for attaching said inner bumper element to said flanges, a relatively soft and flexible outer bumper element which encloses the inner bumper element and flanges on the boat hull and deck, and interlocking means on the inner and outer bumper elements for joining the latter parts together.

7. An interlockingv bumper assembly as set forth in claim 6, in which said top of the T-shaped member terminates in lips each extending beyond an. adjacent flange and inclined inwardly to form an undercut surface beyond said flanges for interlocking engagement with the outer bumper element.

8. An interlocking bumper assembly as set forth in claim 6, in which the outer bumper element consists of a semi-circular outer surface whicl'rterminates in lips abutting the sides of said boat, tubular walls which extend inwardly from said semi-circular surface to adjacent the flanges and forming an undercut channel which receives the inner T-shaped member and said flanges for interlocking. the inner and outer elements together.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 2,154,749 Hines Apr. 18, 1939 2,376,753 Bowen May 22, 1945 ,950,701 De Stefani Aug. 30, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 525,017 Great Britain Aug. 20, 1940 3 .30 Great Britain Ian. 21 1941 

